Closure



March 14, 1944.

R. M. RUNGE CLOSURE Filed sept. 2e, 1940 ATTORNYEY Patented Mar. 14,1944 CLOSURE Richard M. Runge, Meriden, Conn., assigner to The MillerCompany, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ApplicationSeptember 26, 1940, Serial No. 358,412

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to closures.

The present invention contemplates closures having a fixed supportingframe adapted to be secured about the mouth of an article, for example,a reflector and a cover plate with supporting frame detachably securedto the fixed frame.

According to the present invention the fixed frame is provided withrotatably mounted latch or presser members each adapted to be turned soas to bring a portion of the latch member opposite the second frame andthe latch member is under the control of a spring which presses thesecond frame and cover plate toward the mouth of the article.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of cammingelements effective when the vlatch member is swung away from the coverto further tension the spring and hold the latch member in the positionto which it is turned. Other and further objects will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, an

'embodiment in which the invention may take -form, it being understoodthat the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limitingthe same.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a prospective view of an annular reflector with an annularclosure;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view taken through lone of the latch members andsupporting bracket;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the same; Figure 4 is a top planView of a bracket used for supporting the latch member;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through .a hinge support; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of ,a hinge support.

In the drawing I illustrates an article having an annular mouth such asa reflector. This mouth terminates in a bead II. A sheet metal ring I2has an upper flange with an opening I3 smaller than the outside diameterof the article and adapted to fit against the back side of the article,as indicated. This frame I2 has a skirt portion I4 of slightly largerdiameter than the outside of the article and extending some distancebeyond its mouth.

A number of brackets I are secured to the frame ring I2 by screws IG.Each bracket has a boss Il provided with a counterbored opening IBparallel with the frame axis adapted to receive a shaft I9 and coiledspring 20. The spring is held under compression by a ring 2I secured tothe end of the shaft by a washer 22. The lower end of the Shaft I9carries a head or larger member 23 with a laterally extending pressurelinger or presser element 24 adapted to be turned from a positionopposite the mouth of the reflector, as indicated in full lines inFigure 2, to the dot and dash line positions of Figures 2 and 3. Thehead 23 is V-shaped, as indicated at 25, and is received in a V-shapednotch 2S formed in the boss II.l

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the shaft I9 is carried in the same form ofbracket as above described, but this shaft I9, instead of beingconnected to ia head of the type shown in Figures 2 and 3, is providedwith a head 23 having a hinge pin 21 and this hinge pin carries an arm28. This arm is s ecured to a ring 29, which receives a lighttransmitting cover plate 3U, preferably having a gasket 3l about theedge.

The brackets I5 extend inwardly over the top of the ring I2 and havelugs 32 extending downwardly and tapped to receive screws 33 by whichclips 34 may be secured in place. These clips engage the periphery ofthe reflector and keep the upper ring fixed to the reector.

When the closure is in use allY of the latch vmembers 2li are swung tothe position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The parts are so designed thatthe springs 20 are under tension and this causes the three latch headsof the type shown in Figure Zand the hinge member of the device shown inFigures 5 and 6 to press the cover plate toward the mouth of thereiiector. The clips 3i are so thin that the gasket yields sufficientlyto imbed them and the gasket is held tightly f against the mouth of thereflector.

To release the ring 29 it is merely necessary to give the presserelements a quarter turn, which will move them clear of the ring 29. Eachwill then be moved down as indicated in dot and dash line position ofFigure 3. If given a further quarter revolution the V-shaped elementsare opposite one another and the spring moves a latch member to the dotand dash line position -of Figure 2'. The cover may then be swung down-to the dot and dash line position as indicated in yFigure 1..

While. the closure shown in the drawing is adapted for use in annularreflectors, it is obvious that the same latch elements, hinge parts,brackets and associated parts could be employed in a device having arectilinear reflector and a rectilinear closure.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to beunderstood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, andvarious modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwiselimit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In a closure, a generally fiat frame shaped to form a closed figureand adapted to receive from its front face the open mouth of an articleand to be secured to said article with the article protruding into saidframe a predetermined distance, the frame having a plurality of openingsspaced outside its inner margin and having their axes substantiallynormal to the plane of the frame, a shaft slidably and rotatably carriedin each opening, each shaft carrying a laterally extending pressurefinger spaced forwardly of the inner edge of the frame and of theprotruding portion of the received article and movable from an innerposition opposite the inner edge of the frame and of the receivedarticle to an outer position, a spring acting on each shaft to move itaxially and urge the finger thereon rearwardly toward the frame andarticle, a second frame of similar contour tothe first receivablebetween the shafts and carrying a closure plate, the second frame beingdisposed behind the fingers when in their inner positions and adapted tobe pressed thereby against the lower face of said article, thedimensions of the parts being such that the springs create pressurebetween the frames and mouth of the article, the adjacent surfaces ofthe rst frame and each pressure finger being formed to providecooperable cam surfaces effective on turning the pressure finger toswing it outwardly to move the said nger forwardly and separate it fromthe second frame.

2. A closure such as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the pressurefingers isV hingedly secured to the second frame and is fixedly securedto the corresponding shaft.

3. A closure such as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frames are annularand the rst frame includes a sheet metal ring of L-shaped cross sectionand a plurality of lugs, each lug providing an opening for one of theshafts and being exterior of the ring.

4. A closure such as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frames are annularand the first frame includes a sheet metal ring of L-shaped crosssection and a plurality of lugs, each lug providing an opening for oneof the shafts and being exterior of the ring, and wherein the lugs havecam surfaces of the first frame.

5. A closure comprising a normally xed. ring, a closure plate, a closureplate supporting ring disposed in front of the rst ring, a` plurality oflatch members pivotally secured to the first ring to turn about axesparallel to the ring axis, said axes being disposed at a greater radiusthan the periphery of the supporting ring, and springs urging the latchmembers rearwardly, the latch members having eccentrically located headsbearing on the second ring to press the ring rearwardly, the adjacentsurfaces of the latch members and first ring having cooperative camsurfaces which effect spring compression when the corresponding latchmember is turned to swing the head thereof outwardly, the latch memberbeing revolvable to clear the second ring so that the ring may be moveddownwardly below the latch members.

6. In a device of the class described, a sheet metal ring of L-shapedcross section having a fiat flange and a peripheral band, a body securedto the flange and protruding part way into the ring, lugs secured to theouter face of the band and having holes of stepped diameters normal tothe plane of the flange with the smaller diameter hole more remote fromthe flange, V- shaped notches in the ends of the lugs remote from theange, a shaft extending through each hole and carrying a spring andabutting Washer in the end within the large diameter part of the hole,an arm carried by the end of the shaft protruding through the smallerdiameter hole, said arm having a V-shaped key urged into one of thenotches by the spring when in alignment therewith, and a cover for theend of the body pressed against the body by the arms, the thickness ofthe cover being sufficient to keep the spring under tension so that theydo not completely enter the notches.

7. A closure such as claimed in claim l, wherein the said article is thereector of a direct lighting luminaire including a lightl source and theclosure plate is a light transmitting plate.

8. A device such as claimed in claim 6, wherein the said body is in theform of a luminaire having a light source. and a reflector and the coveris in the form of a light transmitting plate.

9. In a closure, a generally at frame shaped to form a closed gure andladapted to receive from its front face the open mouth of an article andto be secured to said articlewiththearticle protruding into said frame apredetermined distance, the frame having` a plurality of' openingsspaced outside its inner marginv and having their axes substantiallynormal to the plane of they frame, a shaft slidably and rotatablycarried in each opening,l each shaft carrying a laterally extendingpressure finger spaced forwardly of the inner edge of the-frameand oftheprotruding portion of the received article and movable from an innerposition opposite the inner edge of the frame and of the receivedartieleto an outer position, aV spring acting on each shaft to move it axiallyand urge thefinger thereonV rearwardly toward the, frame and article, asecond frame of similar contour to the rst receivable between the shaftsand carrying a. closure plate, the second framel being disposed behindthe fingers when in their inner positions and adapted to be pressed.thereby against the lower face of said article, the dimensions of theparts being such that the springs create pressure between the framesvand mouth of the article, the rst frame having V-shaped grooves` eX-tending across the shaft axes and each rotatable pressure finger beingprovided with a V-shaped element adapted toy register with one of thegrooves when the pressure finger is in the inner position` andengageable. with the sides of said groove to move the finger forwardlyand separate it from the second frame when the shaft is rotated.

RICHARD M. RUNGE.

